fossil

Fossil Shark Tooth

Odontaspididae indet. (likely Sand Tiger Shark tooth)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 5 on Mohs scale (apatite); slender, pointed enameloid crown with a distinct bilobed root; yellowish-tan color with a smooth, glossy to waxy luster.

Identified September 24, 2026More fossil →

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Physical properties

Hardness 5 on Mohs scale (apatite); slender, pointed enameloid crown with a distinct bilobed root; yellowish-tan color with a smooth, glossy to waxy luster.

Formation & geological history

Formed via permineralization of shed shark teeth in shallow marine sediments, commonly dating from the Cretaceous to Neogene periods (approx. 5 to 70 million years ago).

Uses & applications

Prized by fossil collectors, used in jewelry (pendants/wire wraps), and studied for paleoenvironmental and evolutionary research.

Geological facts

Sharks continually shed thousands of teeth throughout their lifetime, making their dense calcium phosphate teeth among the most abundant vertebrate fossils on Earth.

Field identification & locations

Identify by the characteristic bilobed bony root and sharp, conical cusp. Frequently found in coastal shell beds, riverbanks, and beaches along the Atlantic coastal plain.